Two high-horsepower machines line up next to each other for a drag race and, in anticipation for a heated battle, the drivers lower the beasts—until not too long ago, this sort of description would’ve been accompanied by details about the roaring soundtrack of the vehicles. However, this is not the case here, as the velocity battle is all about EVs. And they’re monsters all right: the 2022 GMC Hummer EV and the Rivian R1T.
Sure, it’s nice to discuss saving the planet—after all, battery-powered vehicles have a lower environmental impact than combustion cars—but these are scale-unfriendly beasts going head to head in a straight line, so this one is purely for the giggles, people. In fact, tipping the scales at 9.046 lbs (4,082 kg), the GMC Hummer EV makes the Rivian R1T’s 7,148 lbs (3,288 kg) weight seem like child’s play.
Then again, while the Rivian has four electric motors and the GMC “only” packs three of them, the latter is more potent. The model that revived the Hummer brand delivers 1,000+ hp and 1,100 lb-ft (1,491 Nm) of torque, while the R1T packs 800+ hp and 900+ lb-ft (1,220 Nm) of torque.
The Hummer backs up its military ancestry with versatile tires that allow it to deal with rough terrain, but the Rivian’s rubber is road-focused, which gives the latter an advantage at the start.
Rivian R1T vs. 2022 GMC Hummer EV drag and rolling race
To ensure the said tire aspect doesn’t influence the race all that much, the brawl also included a rolling start.
And while we’re on this topic, we should mention the electric behemoths got together at Willow Springs, being brought there by Thomas Holland and James Engelsman of the Throttle House YouTube channel.
Both these trucks come with drastic top speed limiters, which did come into play before they crossed the finish line. Note that the features are there for safety and driving range reasons.
However, while the GMC stuck to its official 106 mph (170 km/h) maximum velocity, the Rivian, which was supposed to be capped at 110 mph (177 km/h) showed an extra 5 mph (8 km/h) on the dash.
Bonus Tesla battle
Now that consumers are aware of the assets and drawbacks of EVs, it’s important for makers of such vehicles to make sure they’re present on the street and both GM and Rivian have made sure of this, unlike Tesla, whose Cybertruck has been delayed to 2023 (and it’s not a 100% commitment).
However, the Palo Alto carmaker did have a representative in this match. The boys grabbed a Model X Plaid, which is the closest thing to a truck that Tesla currently offers. And given the electric SUV’s 1,020 hp and 5,390 lbs (2,445 kg) weight, the results were obvious.
However, you shouldn’t let the gap between the Model X Plaid and the two main actores trick you into believing the electric trucks are anything but uber-quick. For the record, they’re both capable of mid-11s quarter-mile runs, which puts them deep into sportscar/muscle car territory.
Oh, and if you’re looking for the quickest EVs out there, which also dominate the overall production car drag racing scene, this battle between the Tesla Model S Plaid and the Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance should cater to your needs.
